2.
Table of Contents Chapter 1 Product Overview
AIII.4 Becoming a domain member.....................................................................73 Chapter 1 Product Overview
APPENDIX IV WIRELESS ZERO CONFIGURATION UTILITY .............................76
AIV.1 Enable Wireless Zero Configuration Utility ...............................................76
AIV.2 Disable Wireless Zero Configuration Utility..............................................78 1.1 Introduction
APPENDIX V PANEL VIEWS AND DESCRIPTIONS............................................79 The W-Client delivers the performance and capabilities that every mobile user is
looking for. Embedded with Atheros chipset, it boasts network robustness, stability and
APPENDIX VI TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS .....................................................80
wider coverage for long-range connectivity. Despite its small size, the USB adapter is
big on features; compatibility with wireless 802.11 networks ensures that you can be
connected easily.
Bandwidth needs in the home are increasing rapidly with the introduction of new
devices and services. As broadband infrastructure becomes common in homes, the
demand for multimedia services such as video streaming or VoIP also increases.
Connecting to a wireless LAN without adequate security measures generally opens up
your shared folders to any casual snoopers. To protect your privacy, the USB adapter
is armed with many enhanced wireless security features such as Wi-Fi Protected
Access (WPA), IEEE 802.1x Authentication and 64/128/152-bit WEP (Wired Equivalent
Privacy) to ensure privacy for the heterogeneous mix of users within the same wireless
LAN while maintaining full access to the establishment’s resources.
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Chapter 1 Product Overview Chapter 2 Getting Started
Chapter 2 Getting Started
1.2 Features and Benefits
This chapter outlines the basic requirement for any installation and configuration on the
• Compact and Mobile USB adapter.
The USB adapter is designed especially for the mobile generation. The
casing is compact and sleek, and the antenna is built-in to further preserve
the miniature footprint. Weighing just 20 grams, the device is light enough 2.1 Overall Setup Procedures
to be carried around!
Here are some of the basic steps to guide you along:
• Fast and Reliable Transmission
The USB adapter can deliver up to 108Mbps wireless throughput. At the 1. Hardware Installation
same time, the USB adapter provides reliable wireless transmission to all Please refer to Section 3.1 “Hardware Installation”.
wireless users with its auto rate fallback capability.
2. Drivers and Utility Installation
• USB powered and USB 2.0 fast transfer rate Please refer to Section 3.2 “Drivers and Utility Installation”.
Leveraging on the USB standard, the USB adapter is powered through its
USB connection and requires no additional power adapter. USB 2.0 3. Configure your USB adapter
standard allows a significant improvement in transfer rate, of up to 40 Please refer to Chapter 5 “The Atheros Utility Configuration”.
times that of USB 1.1. You have access to the full 108Mbps transfer rate
of Super-AG on USB 2.0. The small form factor of the USB adapter is For Windows XP user, you can use the built-in utility – Wireless Zero
conveniently designed to fit exactly into a USB port without blocking up Configuration to configure your USB adapter. Please refer to Appendix III
neighboring USB ports. “Windows XP Wireless Zero Configuration Utility”.
Designed with a USB2.0 interface, the USB adapter can provide 40 times
higher throughput when connected to the USB2.0 slot of your NOTE
PC/notebook. It is also backwards compatible with USB1.1 though the It is advisable to activate EITHER one of the utilities: the Wireless Zero
throughput will then be limited to the 12Mbps of the USB1.1 standard. Configuration Utility OR the Atheros Utility.
• Easy Set up
Using your wireless USB adapter is quick and convenient with USB plug-
and –play. The USB adapter is installed externally so you do not have to
open up your PC.
• Highly Secured Traffic
The USB adapter supports wireless security features such as 64/128/152-
bit WEP and the stronger industry standard WPA and 802.1x
authentication to ensure that your data remains secure while in transit.
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Chapter 3 Wireless Adapter Installation Chapter 3 Wireless Adapter Installation
Chapter 3 Wireless Adapter Installation
4. When the License Agreement screen appears, you are required to read
The USB adapter is a plug-and-play device. You can plug it into the USB slot of your and accept the agreement to continue. Click on the Next> button to
PC/notebook for auto-detection. proceed.
5. Select your preferred setup:
3.1 Hardware Installation
1. Insert the USB adapter directly into the USB slot of your PC/notebook.
3.2 Drivers & Utility Installation
1. Insert the Product CD into your computer CD-ROM drive. Click on
Installation -W-Clients .11abg – Client Manager and the system will run
the setup.exe.
Install Client Utilities and Driver (Recommended) option
2. Soon the Atheros Client Installation Program screen appears. You are recommended to select this setup type. This option will install both
the drivers and utility that support your USB adapter.
3. Next, the Atheros Client Installation Program screen appears. Click on
the Next> button to proceed.
Install Driver Only option (For Windows XP user only)
Select this option if you are going to use the Wireless Zero Configuration
Utility to configure your USB adapter. Note that only Windows XP comes
with the Wireless Zero Configuration Utility.
Make Driver Installation Diskette(s)
Select this option if you wish to make a duplicate copy of the drivers and
store in the diskette/s.
6. Click on the Next> button and follow the instructions stated on the screen.
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Chapter 3 Wireless Adapter Installation Chapter 3 Wireless Adapter Installation
For Windows XP users
Atheros Client Utility (ACU) and Supplicant option
7. If you are using Windows XP as operating system, the following screen will Select this option to install your USB adapter’s utility. (Recommended)
appear. Read the notice carefully and click on the Next> button to
proceed. Third Party Supplicant option
Select this option if you decide to use Wireless Zero Configuration Utility to
configure your wireless device. Installing this tool will only allow you to
view the status of the connected wireless device/s through the USB
adapter’s utility; configuration using the USB adapter’s utility will not be
allowed.
Third Party Supplicant option (continued..)
If you have selected Third Party Supplicant configuration tool, a screen
similar to that on the right will appear, prompting you to enable/disable the
system tray icon.
9. Click on the checkbox besides Enable
Atheros System Tray Utility and click
on the Next> button to proceed.
8. Select your choice of tool to assist you in configuring your USB adapter.
Click on the Next> button to proceed.
10. The screen below appears to inform you that the driver will be
automatically installed if you have already inserted your client adapter into
the USB slot of your computer.
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Chapter 3 Wireless Adapter Installation Chapter 3 Wireless Adapter Installation
Cancel the Found New Hardware Wizard if it appears and click on the The folder name, Atheros USB 2.0 Wireless Network Adapter will appear in the
OK button to begin the installation. Network Adapters section. This indicates that the driver for the USB adapter has been
successfully installed on your system!
11. Click on the OK button to reboot your system and this will complete the
installation.
To confirm if the driver has been successfully installed on your system,
1. Proceed to your desktop, right click on My
Computer and select Properties.
To activate the utility program, double click on the icon shown in the system tray.
2. Select the Hardware tab and click on Device
Manager. If you have double-click on the utility option, the following screen will appear to
give you a glimpse of your connection status. To exit it, click on the OK button.
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Chapter 3 Wireless Adapter Installation Chapter 4 Using the System Tray Utility
To use the Atheros Client Utility, go to the Start Menu followed by Programs. Chapter 4 Using the System Tray Utility
Then select Atheros. From Atheros, select Atheros Client Utility. You may
now start to configure your USB adapter.
This chapter will elaborate on the Atheros system tray
utility found at the right bottom corner of your screen.
Right click on the utility icon and the menu will appear.
The following explains the different options available on
the menu:
Help
Open the online help.
Exit
Exit the Atheros Client Utility application. Once you exit, the icon will disappear from
the system tray.
Open Atheros Client Utility…
Launch the Client Utility.
Different signal strength indications
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Chapter 4 Using the System Tray Utility Chapter 4 Using the System Tray Utility
Preferences Manual LEAP Login
This option allows you to set the startup and If you select this option, you will have to manually start the LEAP authentication
menu options for the utility. You can decide process to login to the network instead of being prompted for your LEAP username and
whether the program should start password during your windows logon.
automatically when Windows starts, and which
menu items should appear on the pop up
menu.
(Optional) Enter the
domain name that you
wish to logon to.
Reauthenticate
Reauthenticate to a LEAP-configured access point each time you login to a LEAP
network.
Disable/Enable Radio
If you are unable to detect the RF signal, disable and enable the radio again. Once the
radio is enabled, the system will prompt you that the RF signals have been successfully
enabled.
Click on the OK button to proceed.
Select Profile
Click on a configuration profile name to switch to a particular wireless network. If no
configuration profile exists, you will need to add a profile first.
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Chapter 4 Using the System Tray Utility Chapter 5 Wireless Adapter Utility Features
Chapter 5 Wireless Adapter Utility Features
Connection Status
To view the connection status of your wireless USB adapter. This chapter shows you how to make use of the utility to view the status of your
wireless connection; to change your settings and also to monitor your wireless
Alternatively, you may also double click on the utility icon in the system tray. performance via the statistics.
NOTE
It is advisable to activate only one of the utilities: Either the Wireless
Zero Configuration Utility OR the Atheros Utility.
5.1 Current Status Tab
Displays the performance of the USB adapter in the wireless network.
Active Profile Displays the name of the active configuration profile.
Auto Profile Selection Shows whether auto profile selection is enabled.
Connection Status Displays whether the adapter is connected to a wireless
network.
Link Quality States the quality of the link connection.
SSID Displays the SSID of the network to which the wireless
Upon clicking on the Advanced button, you will be able to view all information
adapter is associated.
on the respective profile, e.g. the types of encryption and authentication, the
signal strength, the MAC address of the connected AP (if you are in
Access Point Name Shows the name of the access point the wireless adapter
Infrastructure mode), etc.
is connected to (if any).
Access Point IP Address Shows the IP address of the access point the wireless
adapter is connected to (if any).
Link Speed States the speed of the link connection.
Client Adapter IP Address Displays the IP address of the wireless adapter.
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Chapter 5 Wireless Adapter Utility Features Chapter 5 Wireless Adapter Utility Features
5.2 Profile Management Tab
This option allows you to manage your profile, set your security options, and Click on New button to create a new profile. Enter the profile name (a unique
scan for other wireless networks. name to identify this profile), a client name and the SSID of the wireless network
to connect to. Note that the Client name refers to the name that is registered to
your PC/notebook. You can enter up to 3 different SSIDs in order of preference,
per profile. We are using ABC as the profile name and APP as the SSID1.
For details on how
to set the different
authentication and
encryption types
available under
the Security Tab,
kindly refer to
Chapter 7 “Types
of Authentication
and Encryption
mode”
Click on the OK button to update the changes.
Notice that ABC has been added to the
profile list.
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To modify an existing profile, select the profile that you wish to modify and click To activate a profile, select the profile and click on this button. We are using
on this button. We are using profile: Any as an example. profile: wireless-AP as an example.
Once a profile is activated, this icon will appear next to the profile name:
To delete an existing profile, select the particular profile that you wish to delete wireless-AP.
and click on this button. We are using profile: default as an example.
Note that the active profile (the profile that you are currently using) cannot be
deleted!
Active profile
indicated by this
icon cannot be
deleted!
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Chapter 5 Wireless Adapter Utility Features Chapter 5 Wireless Adapter Utility Features
This function allows you to save the settings of your profile onto disk. Select the This function allows you to retrieve a saved profile from disk. We are using
profile that you wish to save and click on this button. We are using profile: profile: ESSID as an example.
ESSID as an example.
Go to the folder where you have saved your profile, select ESSID.prf and click
Choose the folder to save to, enter the name under which to save the profile and on the Open button.
click on the Save button.
Notice that the profile: ESSID has been imported to the list of profiles.
Now, your profile is saved to your selected folder.
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Chapter 5 Wireless Adapter Utility Features Chapter 5 Wireless Adapter Utility Features
The icons shown beside the Network Name (SSID) indicate the type of WLAN
This function allows you to scan for wireless networks detected by the adapter. detected.
Infrastructure (AP) Network Connected to Infrastructure (AP)
Network
Ad-hoc Network Connected to Ad-hoc Network
Encryption Active
Notice that if there is a icon appearing in the Super column, this shows
that the wireless network supports Super-AG technology (108Mbps).
Click on the Refresh button to renew the list of wireless networks detected.
Click on the OK button to exit the window.
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Chapter 5 Wireless Adapter Utility Features Chapter 5 Wireless Adapter Utility Features
If you have created several profiles, this function allows you to establish the
priority order in which the USB adapter should try to connect to a WLAN. If the
st
USB adapter is unable to connect to the 1 profile, it will then try to connect to
nd
the 2 profile and so on.
Notice that if this function is
disabled, this means that
you have not added any
profile in the Auto Selected
Profiles list.
Notice that when a selected profile has been added, it will be transferred to the
Auto Selected Profiles list.
When auto profile selection is enabled, the Select and click on the Add button to transfer another profile.
USB adapter scans for available wireless
networks and will connect to the highest
priority profile that matches the networks
detected.
To do so, simply click on the Add button
from the Available Profiles list. Refer to the
screen shown below.
Please note that you need AT LEAST TWO profiles to activate the Auto Select
Profiles function; and that each of your profile must connect to at least one
Network Name (SSID).
You need to transfer at least two profiles to the Auto Selected Profiles list to
activate the Auto Select Profile function.
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Chapter 5 Wireless Adapter Utility Features Chapter 5 Wireless Adapter Utility Features
Transmit Power Level
Specifies the wireless transmit power to be used. Reducing the power level
5.2.1 Security Tab
lowers the risk of interference with other nearby wireless devices and conserves
battery power but decreases radio range.
Please refer to Chapter 7 “Types of Authentication and Encryption
mode”
5.2.2 Advanced Tab
Power Save Mode (Only applicable to Infrastructure mode)
This feature reduces power consumption by the USB adapter to extend the
This option allows you to configure the more advanced connection
battery life of your notebook. There are 3 options for this mode:
settings of your wireless client.
• Off
The power management is disabled and the card consumes full power
from the computer.
• Normal
The driver turns off the power to the adapter for brief periods over briefly
spaced time intervals.
• Maximum
The driver turns off power to the adapter for longer periods over
more widely spaced time intervals.
The guideline for choosing between the Normal and Maximum options:
The USB adapter wakes up more often and responds sooner to network
requests in Normal mode than in Maximum mode; and the Maximum
mode consumes less power than Normal mode.
Network Type
Select either Infrastructure if you are connecting to the WLAN using an access
point or Ad-hoc if you are connecting directly to another computer equipped with
Only applicable to a wireless adapter.
Infrastructure mode.
You may key in the MAC
802.11b Preamble
address of at most four
The preamble is part of the IEEE 802.11b physical layer specification. It is
access points to which you mandatory for all 802.11b devices to support the long preamble format, but they
would prefer to connect. may optionally support the short preamble. This USB adapter supports both the
short and long preambles.
• Short & Long
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Chapter 5 Wireless Adapter Utility Features Chapter 5 Wireless Adapter Utility Features
This option allows communication with other 802.11b devices that support Enables an adapter to attempt authentication regardless of its WEP
short preamble to boost the throughput. settings. It will only associate with the access point if the WEP key of the
adapter matches that of the access point.
• Long
If your device is having trouble to communicate with other 802.11b devices, • Shared only
you may try to select the Long Only option. Allows the adapter to authenticate and associate only with access points
that have the same WEP key.
Wireless Mode NOTE
Specifies 5GHz 54 Mbps, 2.4 GHz 54 Mbps, 2.4 GHz 11 Mbps, or Super A/G The USB adapter’s authentication mode settings must match those of
operation in a wireless network where there is an access point. the AP it is trying to connect to for successful communication.
The wireless adapter must match the wireless mode of the access point it
associates to.
5.3 Diagnostics Tab
Wireless Mode when starting Ad-hoc Network (Only applicable to Ad-hoc
mode) The Diagnostics tab lists the following receive and transmit diagnostics for
Specifies the mode: 5GHz 54 Mbps, 5GHz 108 Mbps, or 2.4 GHz 54/11 Mbps to packets received by or transmitted to the USB adapter.
start an ad hoc network if no network name is found after scanning for all
available networks. • Multicast packets transmitted and received
• Broadcast packets transmitted and received
• Unicast packets transmitted and received
• Total bytes transmitted and received
This mode also allows selection of the channel used by the wireless adapters in
the Ad-hoc network. The channels available depend on the regulatory domain. If
no other wireless adapters are found matching the ad hoc mode, this selection
specifies the channel with which the adapter starts a new ad hoc network.
The wireless adapter must match the wireless mode and channel of the other
wireless clients it associates to.
802.11 Authentication Mode (Only applicable to Infrastructure mode, after
you have enabled the encryption mode)
Select which mode the wireless adapter uses to authenticate to an access point:
• Auto
Causes the adapter to attempt authentication using shared authentication.
It then switches to open authentication if shared authentication fails.
• Open
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Chapter 5 Wireless Adapter Utility Features Chapter 5 Wireless Adapter Utility Features
This button contains general information about the network interface card (the
wireless USB adapter) and the network driver interface specification (NDIS). This button shows more detailed statistical information on frames that are either
received by or transmitted to the USB adapter.
Card Name The name of the USB adapter
MAC Address The MAC address of the USB adapter
Driver The driver name and path of the USB adapter’s driver
Driver version The version of the USB adapter’s driver
Driver date The creation date of the USB adapter’s driver
Client Name The name of the client computer
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Chapter 6 Wireless Adapter Utility Configuration Chapter 6 Wireless Adapter Utility Configuration
Chapter 6 Wireless Adapter Utility Configuration Ad-hoc mode is also referred to as peer-to-peer mode or as Independent Basic
Service Set (IBSS). Ad-hoc mode is useful when wireless devices are within
range of each other and can discover and communicate among themselves
This chapter will elaborate on the Client Manager configuration of the USB adapter without an AP. The figure below illustrates a family using Ad-hoc mode to share
using some simple examples. files and devices directly with one another.
The USB adapter can be configured for 2 types of wireless architectures – Ad-hoc and
Infrastructure. The different operational modes are shown in the following diagrams to
allow you to easily understand how to configure your USB adapter.
6.1 Ad-hoc Mode
In an Ad-hoc architecture, the wireless clients communicate directly with one
another. No access point exists in such a wireless LAN configuration. Each
wireless client can directly transfer data packets with each other.
Usually, the operation would be automatically detected and configured between
the peers. However, if you wish to, you can also set a common channel for all
Ad-hoc clients to use. This will be illustrated in the following section.
Wireless client
Wireless client
For PC1
1. Set your PC1’s IP address to 192.168.168.11; subnet mask to
255.255.255.0 and activate your USB adapter’s Utility.
NOTE
Ad-hoc mode works best when the network uses static IP addressing.
Wireless client The IP addresses of all the computers in the Ad-hoc network must be in
the same subnet (e.g. 192.168.168.xxx); and the subnet mask must also
be the same.
2. Proceed to the Profile Management tab.
6.1.1 When to set up Ad-hoc Mode
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Chapter 6 Wireless Adapter Utility Configuration Chapter 6 Wireless Adapter Utility Configuration
Once you have installed the utility, the system will automatically create a
default profile.
If you wish to create a new profile, click on New button. If not, simply click
on Modify button to change the default settings.
5. Next, proceed to Advanced tab. Set your Network Type to AdHoc and
802.11b Preamble to Short &Long.
6. You may leave the Transmit Power Level at their default values.
3. Enter your own profile name, e.g. son. The Client name refers to the
name that is registered to your PC/notebook. 7. In the Wireless Mode section, check and confirm whether all options are
ticked.
4. Set the SSID to USB-CLIENT and click on the OK button to update the
changes. 8. Next, proceed to Wireless Mode when starting Ad-hoc Network section.
The channels available depend on the regulatory domain. If no other
Please ensure that all the clients in your Ad-hoc network use the same wireless adapters are found matching the ad hoc mode, this selection
SSID, which in our example is set to USB-CLIENT. specifies the channel with which the adapter starts a new ad hoc network.
Please note that the wireless adapter must match the wireless mode and
channel of the other wireless clients it associates to.
9. Set the Channel to Auto to let the USB adapter automatically detect the
channel to use.
However, if you wish to set a specific channel, you must ensure all clients
are in the same channel in order to communicate to one another.
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Chapter 6 Wireless Adapter Utility Configuration Chapter 6 Wireless Adapter Utility Configuration
For 128-bit WEP: 26 hexadecimal or 13 ASCII Text
For 152-bit WEP: 13 hexadecimal or 16 ASCII Text
10. Proceed to the Security tab. Select Pre-Shared Key (Static WEP) option
and click on the Configure… button.
You may now go to the Current Status tab to check the status of the
connection. Notice that if there is no connection established (Refer to Link
Status), this indicates that your USB adapter has not yet detected any other
wireless client with SSID set to USB-CLIENT.
Now, we proceed to configure PC2.
11. Click on the radio button for WEP Key Size: 128, type in, e.g.
1234567890abcdef1234567890 and click on the OK button to update the
changes.
Note that the length of the WEP key depends on the type of encryption key
that you have selected:
For 64- bit WEP: 10 hexadecimal or 5 ASCII Text
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Chapter 6 Wireless Adapter Utility Configuration Chapter 6 Wireless Adapter Utility Configuration
For PC2
1. Set your PC’s IP address to 192.168.168.12; subnet mask to
255.255.255.0.
2. Go to the Profile Management tab and click on the Scan button to look
for USB-CLIENT (the SSID that you had previously created in PC1).
3. Once detected, highlight this profile and click on the Activate button.
4. Next, proceed to the Security tab and set the same security settings as for
PC1.
NOTE
The SSID and encryption key for PC1, PC2 and the notebook must be
the same in order to communicate with one another.
Notice that there is a key beside the Network name (SSID). This shows that you
need the encryption key to connect to this network. Also, if you are using a specific channel instead of Auto, PC1, PC2 and
notebook must be set with the same channel.
Next, you can see that the SSID is set to the same SSID as PC1 and that Client
Name is pre-configured to the name registered to PC2. You need to give a
name to your profile, e.g. Daddy. 5. Click on the OK button and go to the Current Status tab. Notice that once
the connection has been successfully established, the link status will
display <associated> and the signal strength will appear as a green bar.
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Chapter 6 Wireless Adapter Utility Configuration Chapter 6 Wireless Adapter Utility Configuration
Alternatively, you may also go to the MS-DOS Prompt window of each PC to
ping the other PC.
1. From the Start menu, go to Run…
2. Type in cmd and click on the OK button.
From the MS-DOS Prompt window of PC2, type ping 192.168.168.11 –t, to ping
PC1.
When this screen appears:
Pinging 192.168.168.11: bytes=32 time=2ms TTL=128
Pinging 192.168.168.11: bytes=32 time=2ms TTL=128
…….
This indicates that the connection between PC1 and PC2 has been established
successfully! You can now access to one another wirelessly!
If you go to view the current status from PC1, the status for Profile: Son will be
updated as shown below:
For notebook
For setting up another wireless client, e.g. the notebook in the daughter’s room,
you may refer to the steps mentioned for configuring PC2.
If your other wireless clients are not using the USB adapter, you may refer to the
manual of these other adapters for details on Ad-hoc configuration.
For details on other authentication and encryption types, kindly refer to Chapter
7 “Types of Authentication and Encryption mode”
NOTE
All clients need to use the same SSID, channel, security mode, and
encryption key.
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6.2.1 Configuration on Infrastructure Mode
6.2 Infrastructure Mode
In this example, two notebooks and PC2 act as wireless clients to communicate
In infrastructure architecture, the wireless clients communicate through access with the wireless AP. Once all configuration has been done, wireless clients with
points that are devices that act as base station for all wireless communication. the same SSID as the AP will be able to access wirelessly to PC1 via the
Data packets from the wireless clients are transferred to the access points wireless AP.
before being transmitted to other hosts on the network. The number of wireless
clients supported depends on the access points.
For AP
Ensure that you have enabled the DHCP server in your access point and that
your wireless clients are set to receive their IP address dynamically so that the
wireless AP can assign an IP address to its wireless clients. Note the wireless
configuration settings of your access point as shown in the figure above.
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Chapter 6 Wireless Adapter Utility Configuration Chapter 6 Wireless Adapter Utility Configuration
For PC 2 Notice that the SSID has already been pre-configured in this profile.
1. Activate your USB adapter’s utility. The SSID of both the wireless AP and the wireless client must be the same for
them to communicate with one another.
2. Go to the Profile Management tab, click on the Scan button to look for
the wireless AP. 4. Enter the Profile Name, e.g. Workstation 2 for easy identification.
5. Next, proceed to the Security tab. The wireless client must use the same
3. Click on the Refresh button if your system is unable to detect your security mode as the AP. In our example, select WPA Passphrase and
wireless AP. Once found, select the Network Name (SSID) used by the click on the Configure… button.
AP: Wireless-AP and click on the Activate button to add it to your profile
list.
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Chapter 6 Wireless Adapter Utility Configuration Chapter 6 Wireless Adapter Utility Configuration
In the MS-DOS Prompt window, type ping 192.168.168.1 –t, whereby this IP
6. Enter the encryption key in the field provided. Please note that this key address belongs to your access point.
must be the same as the one that you had configured for your access
point. When the screen appears:
Pinging 192.168.168.1: bytes=32 time=2ms TTL=128
7. Click on the OK button to update the changes. Pinging 192.168.168.1: bytes=32 time=2ms TTL=128
Pinging 192.168.168.1: bytes=32 time=2ms TTL=128
…….
This indicates that the connection between the access point and the wireless
client has been established successfully! You can now access to one another
wirelessly!
For the rest of the workstations
Proceed to your Current Status tab to monitor the connection between the Refer to the steps for configuring PC2.
access point and the wireless client (PC2).
If your other wireless clients are not using the USB adapter, you may refer to the
manual of these other adapters for details on Ad-hoc configuration.
For details on other authentication and encryption types, kindly refer to Chapter
7 “Types of Authentication and Encryption mode”
Alternatively, you can also check the connection from the MS-DOS Prompt.
From PC2, simply proceed to the Start Menu, Run… and type in cmd. Click on
the OK button.
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Chapter 7 Types of Authentication and Encryption mode Chapter 7 Types of Authentication and Encryption mode
Chapter 7 Types of Authentication and Encryption mode Key Entry Method
There are 2 types of key entries:
• Hexadecimal: Enter only digits 0 ~ 9 and letters a ~ f/A ~ F.
This chapter illustrates the different types of authentication and encryption that can be • ASCII Text: Enter any character that can be found on the keyboard.
used in the wireless LAN.
WEP Key (1 ~ 4)
Defines a set of shared keys for network security. You must enter at least one
WEP key to enable security using a shared key.
7.1 Ad-hoc Network Security
If the key that you entered is too long, the utility will truncate it to fit.
In a Ad-hoc network, only Pre-shared key (Static WEP) can be configured.
WEP Key size
Defines the length of each encryption key.
• 64-bit WEP: 10 hexadecimal or 5 ASCII Text
• 128-bit WEP: 26 hexadecimal or 13 ASCII Text
• 152-bit WEP: 32 hexadecimal or 16 ASCII Text
7.2 Infrastructure Network Security
Extensible Authentication Protocol (EAP) is used to authenticate network clients
before letting them access the enterprise network. It allows the network
administrator to create an arbitrary authentication scheme (such as EAP-TLS,
etc) to validate network access.
Click on the Configure.. button and the following screen will appear:
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2. Choose EAP-TLS from the drop-down menu and click on the
7.2.1 EAP-TLS
Configure… button.
Extensible Authentication Protocol-Transport Layer Security (EAP-TLS)
makes use of client-side and server-side certificates for mutual NOTE
authentication. To enable this security, you must ensure that your PC/notebook has
already downloaded its EAP-TLS certificates. Check with your system
To use EAP-TLS security, access the Security tab in the Profile administrator for details.
Management window.
1. You can select 3. If your system does not support EAP-TLS, the following message
will pop up:
WPA radio button
(WPA stands for Wi-Fi Protected
Access)
Or
802.1x radio button
(802.1x enables 802.1x security. If EAP-TLS is supported, select the appropriate certificate authority
from the list. The server/domain name and the login name are
filled in automatically from the certificate information.
4. Click on the OK button twice to activate the profile.
If the access point that the wireless adapter is
associating to has WEP set to Optional while 7.2.2 EAP-TTLS
the wireless adapter has WEP enabled, ensure
EAP-TTLS (Tunnel Transport Layer Security) authentication is an
that Allow Association to Mixed Cells is
extension to EAP-TLS. It uses certificates and EAP-TLS to
checked to allow association.
authenticate the server only and establish an encrypted tunnel. Then
within that tunnel, the client authenticates to the server using either a
Note that this option is available only in 802.1x username and password or a token card.
and Pre-Shared Key (Static WEP).
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Chapter 7 Types of Authentication and Encryption mode Chapter 7 Types of Authentication and Encryption mode
To use EAP-TTLS security, access the Security tab in the Profile 5. Click on the Advanced… button.
Management window.
1. You can select
WPA radio button
Or
802.1x radio button
6. Leave the specification server/domain field blank to allow the client
to accept a certificate from any server that supplies a certificate
signed by the CA listed previously. The login name is pre-defined
in the Login name field.
7. Click the OK button.
2. Choose EAP-TTLS from the drop-down menu and click on the
Configure… button.
3. Select the appropriate certification authority (CA) from which the
server certificate will be downloaded from the Trusted Root
Certification Authorities drop-down list.
4. The EAP username is pre-defined in the User Name field. IF not,
specify your username (which is registered with the server) for
EAP authentication. Enter your password in both the Password
and Confirm Password fields.
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Chapter 7 Types of Authentication and Encryption mode Chapter 7 Types of Authentication and Encryption mode
4. Enter your PEAP username (which is registered with the server) in
the User Name field.
7.2.3 PEAP (EAP-GTC)
5. Specify whether you are using a Token or a Static Password.
The PEAP (EAP-Generic Token Card) method is intended for use with
Click on the Advanced button.
Token Cards supporting challenge/response authentication and MUST
NOT be used to provide support for clear text passwords in the
Note that the Token can take the form of hardware token device or
absence of a protected tunnel with server authentication.
the Secure Computing SofToken Program (version 1.3 or later) to
obtain and enter a one-time password for authentication.
To use PEAP-GTC security, access the Security tab in the Profile
Management window.
1. You can select
WPA radio button
Or
6. Leave the specification server/domain field blank to allow the client
to accept a certificate from any server that supplies a certificate
802.1x radio button signed by the CA listed previously.
7. The login name will be pre-defined in the field provided. This login
name is used for PEAP tunnel authentication. It will be filled in
automatically as PEAP-xxxxxxxxxxxx, where xxxxxxxxxxxx is the
computer’s MAC address. You may change the login name if
needed. Click on the OK button to save your settings.
2. Choose PEAP-GTC from the drop-down menu and click on the
Configure… button.
NOTE
To enable this security, you must ensure that your PC/notebook has
already downloaded WPA-PEAP certificates; and the server properties
must already be set. Check with your system administrator for details.
3. Select the appropriate certificate authority (CA) from which the
server certificate is downloaded from the drop-down list.
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Chapter 7 Types of Authentication and Encryption mode Chapter 7 Types of Authentication and Encryption mode
7.2.4 PEAP (EAP-MSCHAP V2)
Microsoft-Challenge Handshake Authentication Protocol V2 (MS-CHAP
V2) is a mutual authentication protocol that requires both the client and
server’s identities to be proven. If your connection is configured to use
MS-CHAP V2 as its only authentication method, and the server that
you are connecting to does not provide proof of its identity, your
connection disconnects.
To use PEAP-MSCHAP V2 security, access the Security tab in the
Profile Management window.
1. You can select
WPA radio button
5. Leave the specification server/domain field blank to allow the client
to accept a certificate from any server that supplies a certificate
signed by the CA listed previously.
Or
6. Click the OK button to enable the profile.
802.1x radio button
2. Choose PEAP (MS-CHAPV2) from the drop-down menu and click
on the Configure… button.
NOTE
To enable this security, you must ensure that your PC/notebook has
already downloaded WPA-PEAP certificates; and the server properties
must already be set. Check with your system administrator for details.
3. Enter your PEAP username and password (which are registered
with the server) in the User Name and Password field
respectively. Re-type the password in the Confirm Password field.
4. Click on the Advanced button.
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Chapter 7 Types of Authentication and Encryption mode Chapter 7 Types of Authentication and Encryption mode
1. The login page will pop up as shown below. Fill up the respective
7.2.5 LEAP
fields and click on the OK button twice.
Lightweight Extensible Authentication Protocol (LEAP) security
requires all infrastructure devices (e.g. access points and servers) to
be configured for LEAP authentication.
To use LEAP security, access the Security tab in the Profile
Management window.
1. You can select
WPA radio button
Next, the system will start the LEAP authentication.
Or
802.1x radio button
2. Choose LEAP from the drop-down menu and click on the
Configure… button.
3. You may set your username and password to:
- Use Temporary User Name and Password
Each time your PC reboots, you will be require to enter your
LEAP username and password in order to be authenticated and
obtain access to the network.
- Use Saved User Name and Password.
Authentication is obtained using a saved username and
password (registered with the server) so you will not be require
to enter your LEAP username and password each time your PC
reboots.
Temporary User Name and Password
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Chapter 7 Types of Authentication and Encryption mode Chapter 7 Types of Authentication and Encryption mode
7.2.6 WPA Passphrase
Saved User Name and Password
WPA Passphrase is also known as WPA-PSK (Pre-shared Key). It
1. Enter the username, password and re-enter password in Confirm provides strong encryption protection for home/SOHO users who do
Password field. not use an enterprise authentication server.
(Optional) You may enter a specific domain name, which will be
passed to the server. 1. Click on the WPA Passphrase radio button and click on the
Configure… button.
2. Enter the LEAP authentication timeout (between 30 and 500
seconds) to specify how long LEAP should wait before considering
an authentication as failed, and sending an error message. The
default is 90 seconds.
3. Click on the OK button.
Check the Include
Windows Logon Domain
with User Name option
to automatically send
your Windows login
2. Enter the password and click on the OK button.
domain together with
your user name to the
RADIUS server. (Default)
Check the No Network
Connection Unless User
Is Logged In option to
force the wireless
adapter to disassociate NOTE
after you log off. The WPA Pass phrase must match that used by the AP/other
wireless clients in the network.
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Chapter 7 Types of Authentication and Encryption mode Chapter 7 Types of Authentication and Encryption mode
7.2.7 Pre-shared Key (Static WEP) 2. Enter your WEP key and click on the OK button.
Wired Equivalent Privacy is a security protocol that allows the wireless
client adapter to communicate ONLY with access points or other
wireless clients that have the same WEP key.
WEP Key is categorized into two types: Hexadecimal and ASCII.
Hexadecimal values consist a to f and numbers 0 to 9 whereas ASCII
values consist of alphanumeric characters a to z; 0 to 9.
To define pre-shared encryption keys,
1. Choose the Pre-shared Key (Static WEP) radio button and click
the Configure… button to fill in the encryption key.
WEP Key size
- 64-bit WEP: 10 hexadecimal or 5 ASCII Text
- 128-bit WEP: 26 hexadecimal or 13 ASCII Text
- 152-bit WEP: 13 hexadecimal or 16 ASCII Text
If the access point that the wireless adapter is
associating to has WEP set to Optional while
the wireless adapter has WEP enabled, ensure
that Allow Association to Mixed Cells is
checked to allow association.
Note that this option is available only in 802.1x
and Pre-Shared Key (Static WEP).
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Appendix I Remove USB Adapter from the System Appendix I Remove USB Adapter from the System
Appendix I Remove USB Adapter from the System
3. Next, select Atheros USB 2.0 Wireless Network Adapter to confirm you will be
removing it from the USB port and click on the OK button.
To safely remove your USB adapter from your system,
1. From the system tray, go to Safely Remove Hardware icon and click Safely
Remove Hardware.
2. Select Atheros USB 2.0 Wireless Network Adapter and click on the Stop
4. The system will then inform you that the device can now be safely removed from
button to terminate all activities.
the system.
5. Click on the Close button to exit this window.
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Appendix II Un-install Wireless Adapter Appendix II Un-install Wireless Adapter
Appendix II Un-install Wireless Adapter
4. The prompt screen appears to notify you that the uninstall option requires the
Please note that in case there is a software upgrade for the wireless adapter, you will system to be rebooted at the end of the uninstall process. Click on the Yes button
need to un-install the current software version before installing the new software. to proceed.
When you un-install the USB adapter’s software, any existing profiles will be removed.
If you want to re-use your profiles, please refer to Section 5.2 Profile Management
Tab for further details on how to export a profile to disk. You are advised to close all
programs and to leave the USB adapter in the USB slot of your PC/notebook before
un-installing your USB adapter.
1. From your Start menu, go to Settings, Control Panel and then click on the Add
or Remove Programs icon. 5. Your system will prompt you to confirm whether you want to remove the
application completely. Click OK to proceed.
2. Highlight the Atheros Client Installation Program and click on the
Change/Remove button.
6. You will be asked to decide whether to remove the device driver or not. Click on
the Yes button to accept.
3. Wait until you see the Atheros Client Installation Program screen. Select
Uninstall the previous installation. Then click on the Next> button to proceed.
7. The uninstall process will then begin. Soon the prompt screen will appear
informing you that the uninstall process is successful, and that your system needs
to be rebooted.
8. Click OK to reboot the system.
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Appendix III Certificate Application for WPA mode Appendix III Certificate Application for WPA mode
Appendix III Certificate Application for WPA mode
AIII.I Installing Window XP Service Pack Patch File (For Windows XP
The USB adapter supports Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA) and Wi-Fi Protected
Access-Pre Shared Key (WPA-PSK) mode in Windows 2000/XP.
users)
Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA) is a specification of standards-based, interoperable To check whether you have already installed
security enhancement that strongly increases the level of data protection (encryption) Windows XP SP2, go to My Computer, right click
and access control (authentication) in your wireless network. The technical and select Properties.
components of WPA include Temporal Key Integrity Protocol (TKIP) for dynamic key
exchange, and 802.1x for authentication.
WPA requires a RADIUS Server to complete the authentication among wireless
stations and Access Points. Typically, this mode is used in an enterprise environment.
WPA-PSK does not require a RADIUS Server and is very convenient for home/SOHO
users. In this chapter, we will explain how to apply for a certificate in order to access to
a wireless network using WPA mode.
NOTE
For Windows XP users with Service Pack 1 (SP1), you need to upgrade
to SP2, available from the Microsoft website or to install the two patch
files provided in the Product CD.
If you are using the Windows XP SP1 and do not intend to upgrade to SP2, you
Overall procedures to apply certificate for WPA mode will need to install the two patch files provided in the Product CD.
• Install Windows XP Service Pack 2
• Apply certification via Internet Browser 1. After ensuring that you have installed Windows XP SP1, insert your
Product CD into your CD-ROM drive, go to Drivers & Utilities section,
• Become domain member
select to install WindowsXP- Q815485_WXP_SP2_x86_ENU.exe followed
by WindowsXP-KB826942-x86-ENU.exe.
You may need to restart your
PC to complete the
installation.
AIII.2 Installing certificate on your
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Appendix III Certificate Application for WPA mode Appendix III Certificate Application for WPA mode
server 4. The following window will appear showing that the certificate has been
successfully installed into your PC.
If you are using Microsoft Certificates services,
1. Click on the Install this certificate link in the window to start the
installation.
AIII.3 Applying for Client Certifications
If you have installed Microsoft SP2 or Microsoft XP SP1 with the 2 patch files
provided on the Product CD, you are now ready to apply for a certificate for your
wireless client.
2. Click on the Yes button on the pop up window to continue with the
installation.
At this stage, ensure that your wireless client has connectivity to the CA server.
You should disable your key encryption.
1. Open your Internet browser; enter e.g. http://192.168.88.26/certsrv where
192.168.88.26 is the server’s IP address.
2. Next, you need to connect to your
server in order to get a
certification. Enter the username
and password that are provided
by your system administrator.
3. To add the certificate to the Root Store, click on the Yes button.
3. Once you get connected to your server, the following screen shot will
appear. Select the Request a certificate radio button and click on the
Next> button. Follow the instructions shown on the screen.
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Appendix III Certificate Application for WPA mode Appendix III Certificate Application for WPA mode
The screen below will appear to indicate that a certificate has been successfully
issued to your PC.
AIII.4 Becoming a domain member
Next, you need to add your username in the domain so that you can
communicate with the access point connected to your server.
1. From the My Computer icon on your desktop,
right click and go to Properties.
4. To confirm whether you have received your
certificate, go to your web browser and 2. Go to the Computer Name tab and select
select Internet Options… from your Tools Change… button as shown in the screen on
pull down menu. the right.
3. From the Member of section, select the Domain: radio button and enter
5. Go to the Content tab and click on the Certificates… button. Notice that the name of your domain. In this example, we are using test as the domain
your username is in the listing. This shows that the certificate has been name.
issued to you.
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Appendix III Certificate Application for WPA mode Appendix III Certificate Application for WPA mode
4. Next, you need to enter your username and password again for
verification. Please note that your system administrator provides this
information.
5. Click on the OK button to proceed.
6. When done, a message will appear as shown below. You may need to
restart your computer for the changes to take effect.
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Appendix IV Wireless Zero Configuration Utility Appendix V Panel Views and Descriptions
Appendix V Panel Views and Descriptions
When the Wireless Zero Configuration Utility is in use, a pop-up message
is displayed on the Utility when you attempt to create or edit a
configuration profile from the Profile Management tab of the utility.
CAUTION
If you activate BOTH (not recommended) the Wireless Zero
Configuration Utility and the Atheros Utility simultaneously, the Profile Components Indications & Descriptions
setting configured by the Atheros Utility will be overridden by those of
the Wireless Zero Configuration Utility. 1 Power Green Indicates that power is being supplied to
the USB adapter.
2 USB Connector Connect this end to the USB port of your PC/notebook.
AIV.2 Disable Wireless Zero Configuration Utility 3 MC Connector Connect the external antenna to the MC connector.
To turn Wireless Zero Configuration Utility off on Windows XP, 4 Hook As a strap holder to prevent the USB adapter form
being lost or carelessly dropped.
1. Open the Wireless Zero Configuration Properties dialog box.
2. Clear the check box Use Windows to configure my wireless network
settings.
3. When this check box is cleared, all profile settings will be controlled by the
USB adapter’s utility.
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